A GRADE-II listed Wirral building gutted by fire will be restored and turned into space for eight self-contained flats if plans are approved.

If the council's planning committee give the go ahead, redevelopment would take place at Number 18 Rock Park in Rock Ferry. A second building will also be constructed within the grounds.

According to a design and access statement, submitted with the planning application, on behalf of the new owner, DMRC Construction, the neo-classical style house has two storeys and forms part of the original Rock Park development which was laid out by Jonathan Bennison in 1836.

The property has had previous planning permission for six apartments and during this construction was subject to a fire in 2014 which completely destroyed the original-hipped Welsh slate roof.

A scheme of hard and soft landscaping will be provided which will include strategic tree screening as discussed at a meeting held on site with the conservation officer.

Wirral Globe: If Wirral Council's planning committee gives the go ahead, redevelopment would take place at Number 18 Rock ParkIf Wirral Council's planning committee gives the go ahead, redevelopment would take place at Number 18 Rock Park (Image: DGM Conservation)

The design and access statement read: "The proposed second building will be located to the south of the original house and will help fund the construction and re-birth of this Grade-II listed building.

"Albeit the property is constructed over two storeys, the ground floor element across the site has a number of levels and to amend this in accordance for accessible use would be of no use to the setting of this listed building."

In 1836 several Liverpool gentlemen formed a joint stock company called the 'Rock Ferry Company' for the purpose of developing the area. 

It is understood that Mr Bennison was responsible fort the layout of the roads and building plots, but the design of individual houses were left to the architects employed by the individual land-owners.

The Parks Articles of Agreement of 18372 stipulates all the particular constraints which include materials, size and height. It is thought that these constraints stipulate that the buildings were to be either detached single family houses or as being as such in the instance of semi-detached houses.

Number 18 Rock Park was added to the Government’s statutory list of buildings of special architectural or historic interest in 1973 and Rock Park was designated a conservation area by the council in February 1979.